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What does the new BBI mean to Berlin and the Brandenburg region? For many years, air traffi c in Berlin has been split between three and, more recently, two airports. The new BBI airport will offer modern facilities, and concentrating traffi c at one location means that we will be able to provide airlines with excellent transfer facilities. Furthermore, all passengers will be welcomed to the German Capital Region with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
How have low-cost carriers reacted to the new facility?
Our main customers have been involved in the planning and design of the terminal from the very earliest stages. In 2003, low-cost airlines started to play a major part in Berlin’s air traffi c and since then many changes have been made to the original plans in order to refl ect their needs. We have added a North Pier, which offers special low-cost facilities such as walk boarding positions and pre-boarding zones at a lower cost for the airline. Reactions from our existing low-cost airlines have been very positive, especially regarding the new airport’s fee structure, which is based on a “pay as you use” concept.
Will LCCs pay the same airport charges at the new airport as full-service carriers? Generally, all airlines pay the same charges at the airport but this depends on what kind of facilities the airline requires and how effi ciently it is operated. The quicker an airline turns its aircraft around and the less the airport is utilised, the lower the fees. Airlines can choose the best product for themselves and their customers. We will introduce check-in prices based on
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Name: Simon Miller Company: Berlin Airports
Designation: Senior consultant, airline marketing Home town: Berlin, Germany
the number of desks required and the amount of time they are needed for, as well as a baggage fee per checked bag. A fi xed fee for the waiting areas will reduce costs for airlines with larger aircraft and higher load factors. Our aim is to promote growth and increase utilisation of the airport facilities.
In what ways do you expect BBI to transform Berlin’s airline route network?
Its excellent transfer infrastructure means that we expect Berlin Brandenburg International Airport to develop into a transfer point for Europe. We have a unique geographic location, with east Germany and western Poland at our doorstep. We do not face competition from any other large airport
in the region and fl ight time to Asia is considerably shorter than from the major hubs in the west of Germany. Berlin’s attractiveness as a destination also helps. Berlin has been named “Europe’s Capital of Cool” by Time magazine; is the most visited city in Germany; and ranks in third place in Europe after London and Paris, according to visitor numbers.
How do you see BBI fi tting in with Germany’s other two global hubs – Frankfurt and Munich, particularly with Lufthansa’s hub operations there?
Frankfurt is the largest airport in Germany and it will stay this way. In Berlin we have a combination of the most modern facilities and an attractive destination, very much like Paris and London. Berlin can offer two things to airlines – excellent transfer infrastructure and an exciting and vibrant city. Air Berlin is joining oneworld at the same time as the opening of the new airport, so new opportunities for a oneworld member in this region are immense. Berlin is already bigger than the existing oneworld hubs at Helsinki and Budapest. As you mention Lufthansa – it has recognised the importance of Berlin and has started a project ‘Future Berlin’ to see how it can better position itself in the capital once the new airport opens.
Has the development of BBI meant that you have not been able to make improvements at Tegel and Schönefeld? Not at all. We have built new terminals, renovated existing facilities and increased the capacities of both Schönefeld and Tegel to accommodate
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